The Time
by kiara8921
Summary: A series of short scenes where Happy interacts with a female assassin. Will his anger of his missing smiley faces be outweighed by what she can offer the club? Rating for future unwritten chapters.
1. Chapter 1

I randomely add snippets to this story when a new murder pops into my head. (That's normal, right?) I have a few more typed that i will add, and a few idea's i haven't worked through yet, feel free to give me ideas.

The first time…

The first time he saw her he thought maybe it was a coincidence. He watched his mark all night, and maybe he couldn't help but watch the strippers too. This was a hack joint. Not a lot of regular or talented girls. The kind of place where the women worked for nothing but tips, and had to pay the club to get on stage.

Goloft seemed partial to blonds, so was Happy, so having to watch the tub of lard loan shark get 3 lap dances wasn't too tortuous. He watched Goloft go into the back with one of the dancers. Perfect; Hap waited outside the door planning to slip in as soon as the stripper slipped out.

The stripper left sooner than Happy thought she would 'Goloft didn't get his money's worth' Hap couldn't help but think. The stripper walked out slowly, clicking the door shut, and gave Happy a sexy ass smirk on her way by. Happy suddenly regretted not getting himself a lap dance, knowing he couldn't risk it and stick around after his job was done.

Hap snuck in the room ready to take out his target only to see the man convulsing on the floor. That's when he heard it, a bouncer screaming for the bartender to call 911; some guy was having a seizure in one of the private rooms.

Happy ran out of the room and out a back exit to the parking lot, pulling his bike into the diner across the street and commenced watching the ruckus. Paramedics first, then cops, then a gurney being wheeled out with a body bag. The ambulance left with no sirens. Goloft was dead. But not by Happy's hand. And that's when it hit him. That stripper had smirked at him, and then gone and told her boss her John was having a seizure, any other whore would have run out of that room screaming for help.

That bitch had taken his hit!

Happy agonized over that kill for months. It was his first failure. Lorca told him not to worry about it, Goloft was slime, it wasn't surprising more than one person wanted him dead. And he was dead, which was the important part. Lorca even gave him some money for his trouble, though not the full amount, since he hadn't done the full job. And Happy got no smiley face. It would have been his 3rd.

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This is the very first thing I'm posting on here, so please be nice!


	2. The second time

Disclaimer: Do not own; not for profit

This one is super short, probably the shortest that I have written so far, so I thought I would throw it up now for you.

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The second time…

It was nearly 2 years later when he saw her again. It was just a glimpse, and at the time it didn't register with him. Not till the cops showed up the next morning. Happy spent all night waiting outside in clear sight of Thompson's car ready to pull the trigger; but the fucker never came out. No ambulance this time, just cops and the coroner. The maid had found him, drowned in his private hot tub. He listened best he could to the cops, empty whiskey bottle floating alongside him. Fucker must have gotten drunk and passed out in the water.

That's when Happy remembered her, the flash of blond that walked by his bike hidden in shadows, not 5 feet in front of him, he assumed she was a hooker, she hadn't made any indication that she noticed him, except… she _had_ smirked at him. He knew his mind wasn't playing tricks on him now. He went back to Tacoma more pissed than ever before. Thompson would have been his 5th. Lorca assured him he'd look into anyone else who might want Thompson dead, but no news ever came. That woman, that hair, that fucking sexy smirk was burned into Happy's brain now. He had to find that fucking bitch!


	3. The Third Time

_Okay, so for the record I have had the first 7 of these written for a while, they each get a little longer. I'm posting one each day till they are all out, but then there's going to be a bit of a wait as I have a lot of different stories I'm working on simultaneously. _

_Anyway, this would I guess be where they make 'first contact' enjoy :)_

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Disclaimer: do not own, not for profit.

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The 3rd time…

It was 3 years later, nearly to the day when Happy set out to collect his 7th smiley face. Senator Toffler was a special case; Happy spent 2 weeks learning his schedule, when he was most vulnerable. He sat in the bushes behind his house waiting for him to come out to the back deck with his nightly brandy and cigar. But 10:30 came and went and no Toffler. The target hadn't broken his schedule in 2 fucking weeks. He gave it another 5 minutes before getting fed up and going to take a peek into the back door. All of a sudden a blur of blond burst through the backdoor and right into Happy. An explosion and flames followed her out and he instinctually grabbed her and threw her to the ground, covering her body with his own.

"Thanks big guy." She started to squirm under him to be released as Happy recovered from the shock of the explosion. "We should probably get out of here." She smirked up at him and it clicked. She slipped out from under and he grabbed her ankle trying to stop her from running, pulling her back to the ground with a thud. She slipped out of his grasp and gave his face a good kick, jumping back up and sprinting for the tree line with the head start she had given herself. He quickly recovered and followed. That bitch was getting away with another one of his kills! He lost her in the dark woods just as sirens started to wail down the street.

Happy stayed glued to the bar that night and all the next morning. None of his brothers or the sweet butts could pry him away from the news. It didn't come until 6am, 'late breaking news' Senator Toffler's body was positively identified late last night. Toffler had inadvertently ignited a gas leak from his stove when lighting his evening cigar. That fucking bitch! 3 kills, 3 smiley faces, and now he knew her, knew the softness of her body, the fruity smell of her shampoo, the sexy pitch of her voice, and that fucking sexy smirk, she was so fucking close he could have kissed it off her.

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Thank you so much to everybody who has left me comments, I know I haven't answered most of you. They mean a lot to me though, and put a huge smile on my face.

I write because stories pop into my head and won't go away, and I am extremely self councious about other people reading my work.


	4. The fourth time

_Next Chapter! yeay, I love this story, it's so fun._

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed, as a new author on here it makes me feel really good about finally posting my work. _

_Special thanks to cleo.001 your reviews always make me laugh so hard, poor poor Happy!_

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Disclaimer: Do not own, Not for profit

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The fourth time…

Happy had just rolled into Reno to earn his 7th smiley face, the 7th smiley face that had been stolen from him 5 months earlier by that fucking bitch. The plan was simple; go to the guys bar, blow him away in the back and leave a message; no one fucks the Sons out of money. The bar was closed when he arrived, and the place had no security cameras.

He slipped through the back door, surprised to find it unlocked, stupid bastard. The office door was closed and he checked the rest of the bar and store room, wanting to make sure there were no witnesses. He was 3 feet from the door when it swung open and _she_ stepped out.

"You…you fucking bitch."

"Hi to you too, big guy." She went to walk around him and he caught her arm holding onto her tightly while he swung the door open the rest of the way. Peltvin was bent over his desk, face blue, not strangled, choked.

"I was here to leave a message."

"I don't do messages, I do dead, and he….is dead." She tugged her arm out of his grasp and he grabbed a hold of her again, slamming her into a wall.

"You have no fucking idea who you are messing with."

She stared at him dead on, never wavering. "I know exactly who I'm messing with. The question is, do you?" He got closer to her, he was seething mad. "Look big guy, he's dead, and I'm pretty fucking sure that was the point of your little exercise. You want to leave a message, go right fucking ahead."

Happy slammed her hard into the wall, he wanted to bludgeon her to death right then and there, or fuck her. He didn't know which. She stared into his eyes with a hunger he knew well, a post kill adrenalin rush that could only be quelled with a good hard fuck, and the idea of giving her that very thing was driving him mad.

"Kiss me or kill me big guy, hard choice ain't it?" That did it; he slammed her against the wall again, harder than before and then kissed her, pressing his entire body against hers. Years of obsessing over this bitch had left him hungry for her. He didn't pull away till his lungs burned for air. As soon as he did she head butted him, making him stumble back and lose his grasp on her. She pulled away completely and kneed him in the stomach running out before he finished doubling over.

Fucking bitch!

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Small note, when I said 'not strangled, choked' I meant like, accidental on food or some such thing. I couldn't figure out how to make that clear without Happy sounding lame. Happy- "not strangled, choked, like on a mint" yeah, i just couldn't do it lol!


	5. the fifth time

_Happy's mystery girl finally gets a name :)_

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Disclaimer: Do not own, not for profit

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The fifth time…

He was going after his 7th smiley face, again. At least, he thought he was. He walked into 'Kilo's' house, and found 'Kilo' lying on the floor, bleeding out. The man had been executed, on his knees. But who the hell would leave the body here?

"Took you long enough." Happy's head whipped up to find the blond standing in the corner, leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"You little…"

"Bitch. Yeah, I know…" Happy stalked towards her and she took her gun out, pointing it at him. "Far enough big guy. Drop the weapons. All. Of. Them."

"How did you…?"

"Heard your bike. Not very subtle. I think it's time you and I had a civil conversation." He dropped his guns, both of them, and the knife from his belt.

"Who do you work for?"

"An organization. You're a Son. You have personal interest in these kills. I don't. I get a mark. I take it out. No reason, no explanation. No messages."

"How do you know so much about me?" His ink was covered, he had no cut, how could she know he was a Son?

"I do my research."

"How much do you know?"

She smirked. God fucking damn it, that smirk had invaded his dreams over the years. She walked towards him, lowering her gun but leaving it cocked. She watched his eyes blacken; she knew exactly what she was doing to him. She hooked a finger on the hem of his long sleeve shirt and dragged it up to just above his smiley faces.

"Tell me, do they call you Happy because of your smiley faces, or do you get smiley faces, because they call you Happy?" She traced her fingers over the 2 rows of round faces and then quickly wrapped her arm around to his back digging her nails in and yanking him close claiming his lips.

His body responded before his mind caught up, grabbing her and picking her up, she straddled his hips with her legs and pressed her nails further into his back, her other hand with the gun wrapping around to the back of his neck, pulling him even closer with her forearm. Feeling the cold steel hit his shoulder cleared his head and he pushed her off of him. She barely caught herself before she fell to the ground, stammering back.

"And what do I call you?"

"I suppose you can call me star." She lifted her own top, revealing a patch on her rib cage with over 30 stars of various size and color stretched over maybe 16 square inches of space in a curve.

He stepped back up to her, grabbing her hip "You fucking bitch. You..."

"Have more than you? It's okay; I won't hold it against you." His fingers dug into her flesh hard enough that he knew he must be hurting her, but all she did was smirk at him. That fucking smirk. He pulled her closer and kissed her again, both his hands roaming over her ribs, his thumbs rubbing over her stars.

Suddenly there was a buzzing sound. 'Star' pushed Happy away. "We gotta go. Grab your shit." He bent down and grabbed his weapons off the floor but when he stood up she was already gone, back screen door slamming in her wake. He ran off after her, making it to the back just as the tumblers in the front lock started to clink.

The back was clear, she was gone, that fucking bitch!

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As I have said, I have chapters 6 and 7 done as well and will continue posting once a day. Your reviews rock! You inspired me to start working on this story sooner then i was planning, working out my plan for chapter 8, then 9 will probably be Star returning the favor.

Preview of chapter 8:

"What the fuck was your interest in him?" Happy demanded closing the distance between them.

"Absolutely none, I'm not actually here, won't even get paid for that shit. I just wanted to piss you off."


	6. The sixth time

_So...Who got the hint from the a/n at the end of chapter 5? If you did, here is where the favor comes in, if you didn't, oh well. :P_

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Disclaimer: do not own, not for profit

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The 6th time….

Happy hadn't seen Star in nearly a year. He had finally received his allusive 7th smiley face as well as his eighth, and tonight would be his ninth. He was going after a major drug dealer. A new backer of the Nords. The extra money and fire power was making it increasingly difficult for Charming to keep Darby under control. He snuck into the house and instantly knew something was wrong.

His mark, as well as 2 others were dead on the floor, there had definitely been a fire fight. That's when he heard it. Something between a grunt and a moan coming from down the hall. Something female. He made his way quietly down the hallway until he saw her or more so a fraction of her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Star.

"One of your little plans go array?" He sniped at the door, gun drawn in case he startled her more than he meant too. Her head snapped up to him. That's when he saw it. She was shot. "Fuck" he put his gun away and walked wholly into the small half bath. There was a bullet proof vest shoved haphazardly in the corner. "More men than you thought?" His fingers danced gently around the bleeding wound at her clavicle, it was a graze, but it looked deep, might have even chipped the bone.

"No," she flinched as she spoke. "Jones and Leopold 1 and 2 of the Arian nation's street support division, and Cutis, the Nord liaison."

"So? Not perfect after all…" He pressed a wad of gauze tightly against her skin and started taping it down.

"Missed the vest." She gritted out through clenched teeth as he finished the work.

"Any of that blood in there yours?" Happy asked, looking through the bathroom seeing minimal blood.

"Wall by the front door. Need to bleach the sink." She nodded down where she had been able to contain the blood loss and thrown the used gauze.

Happy slid her down to sit on the closed toilet… "Stay." He commanded to her, he ran out down the hall and looked at the wall. There was minor blood splatter on the wall, right in line with a bullet wedged in the drywall.

He took out his knife and cut out the entire section, before running out to the van he had a prospect waiting in and told him to stay put and keep waiting. He chucked the piece of drywall in a garbage bag and grabbed another empty one and a full bottle of bleach. He walked back through the house, down the hall looking for blood splatter, finding none. He walked back into the bathroom half surprised to see her there. He grabbed the vest, there were a good half dozen small caliber rounds stuck in it, bitch had been fucking lucky. He put it in the garbage bag along with all the used gauze and then proceeded to dump the bleach in the sink, making sure every droplet made its way down the drain. He emptied the entire bottle and stashed it in the bag too.

"Can you walk?" She glared at him as if that was the worst insult she had ever been given, but the fact was she was pale as a ghost and Happy didn't know just how much blood she may have lost before he got there. "Come on." He grabbed both her forearms and hauled her up, holding her close to his side and carrying the trash bag on his other side. She looked at the hole in the wall. "No evidence you were ever here, you can thank me later. My boy will get the bodies; we got a doctor back at the club house."

"My sweepers will be here as soon as my car starts. Pros, send your guy packing, they don't like an audience." She sounded breathy and weak and Happy was shocked at how much it bothered him.

"Soon as your car starts?" They made it through the front door.

"We're high-tech. It's parked on Clark." He put her in the back of the van.

"Prospect, Clark parked car." He snapped at the young man who was eyeing the pair as Happy settled Star into the back. She was holding the nape of her neck and her shirt was covered in blood. "What car?" He asked her, putting the bag with the drywall into the bag with her vest.

"Blue Matrix. 'tween Daisy and Furnace" her head rolled back and rested on the wall of the van.

"You catch that?" Happy snapped at the prospect who hadn't started the van yet.

"Yeah, yeah, Clark, Daisy Furnace Blue Matrix." He mumbled it a few more times to himself as he pulled out. The drive only took 3 minutes.

"Give me your keys."

"No, I got my own medic. Give me the bag." She crawled half up the side of the van and stood on wobbly legs, reaching her hand out for the trash bag.

Happy eyed her carefully. "I put myself on the line to help you. I want something out of that."

"I'll owe you. I'll make it something big. I have a deadline Happy." She snatched the bag and he let her, opening the door and helping her out. He helped her crawl into her car and she instantly started the engine before even throwing the trash bag into the passenger's seat.

"I want a way to contact you." She leaned her head back and thought for a moment.

"In 2 weeks go to the Charming library. Check the bulletin board. There will be a number for you to call. You'll know which. It will only be good for a day or so."

"The library?"

"In 2 weeks." She cringed slightly and reached for her seatbelt. "I don't recommend following me."

He nodded and closed the door, watching her speed off moments later.

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Woo Hoo! 989 words (without the a/n's) Next Chapter is over 1000 words, told you they'd get longer!

For those of you questioning Happy's change in demeanor, my answer is half instinct, half wanting to get her back to the club house for an interrogation.

She's a killer, just like him, he knows what it's like when shit hits the fan on a job, I don't see Happy not helping her.

**Hmmm, preview preview….. anyone know what an English Mastiff looks like?


	7. the seventh time

Posting this quick before I go to work, If I don't come home to wore out I might finish chapter 8 to post tomorrow, otherwise it'll be up by Friday, I know what it's all about, I just went a little ADD on Youtube when i was supposed to be typing opps!

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Disclaimer: do not own, not for profit

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The 7th time…

Happy had reported back to the Mother Charter everything that had happened 2 weeks ago, along with his siting's of her before that he hadn't already told them about; most of those being on jobs for other Charters.

Now he stood in front of the public bulletin board in the Charming public library for the first time ever. A Son had been camped out there every day but no one ever caught site of anything or anyone suspicious going in or out.

It was only Happy, Jax, and Juice, as they wanted to keep it low profile. "What did she say it would be?" Jax asked again, scanning the piano lesson and baking class fliers.

"She said I would know which one." Happy continued to examine each flier one at a time.

"Maybe we should just call all these numbers…" Juice started as he went through the volunteer's needed section on the next board over.

Happy grinned. There it was, he knew it, he was sure of it.

LOST DOG

'Big Guy'

English Mastiff

Approx. 180 lbs.

Stubborn.

Loyal.

Sloppy kisser.

Between the name and the dog breed was a picture of a giant English mastiff with its tongue hanging out, and a smiley face tag around its neck.

"Got it." He pulled the flyer down and walked out, his brothers jogging to catch up with him.

They rode back to the clubhouse quickly and Happy held up the flyer as soon as he got to the clubhouse. Jax whistled and all the waiting brothers filed into the Chapel. When everyone was seated and silent Clay nodded his head and Happy pulled out the fresh prepay he had picked up just for this call and dialed the number.

"Took you long enough." She was on speaker phone, and Juice was already starting to trace the call on his laptop. "Tell Juice not to bother. I'm in Dester, Maine; sitting in a car in the parking lot of Leon's Diner. I'm a 7 hour drive from your closest Charter and there's only 10 minutes on this phone. I suggest you ask your questions."

Clay slid a paper over to Happy it was the list of what they wanted to know. "What organization do you work for?"

"Ha! Right. Next question."

Clay rubbed his temples and waved his hand at Happy. "How do you know so much about me?"

"My organization keeps track of others. Relays relevant data back to me. As soon as our paths started to cross I got a full briefing."

Jax pointed a few lines down the page and Happy rolled his eyes. "Why do our paths keep crossing?"

"Maybe because you boys are killing more men these days. No before you ask, my organization isn't trying to interfere with yours. The jobs come from different places, my people simply doll them out, give support."

"So you're a hired assassin?" Happy flung the page at Jax who was searching it for the next question he wanted asked.

"I…come highly recommended in my field. Accidentals are my specialty. But let's just say I'm good at getting in places others aren't allowed. Flash some cleavage, show some leg, smirk…" She paused knowing the affect her smirk had on Happy, "and they open the door right up for me."

"Is that what happened? White power just opened the door? Doesn't seem like a hired assassin to take a bullet. Quite a few in fact." Jax threw up his arms in defeat, they had loads more questions, and he knew Happy would end up going off script and goading the girl.

"3 heavily armed targets and little old me. I got my marks." Jax handed the paper back to Happy with 2 questions heavily circled.

"How do we contact you in the future? To hire you, or make sure you don't take our jobs."

"You don't." She sighed. "I know how to get a hold of you when I need to. As for not interfering, I kill who I'm told to kill, no matter who else wants them dead. And if I kill them, there's no heat on you boys. So I really don't see the problem. If your little club ever reaches a certain….level…you'll know how to hire me."

Happy looked around the table. She was right after all; if she did the kill nothing could fall back on the club. But she also just insulted SOA by saying they weren't high up enough on the food chain to get involved with her organization.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Tig blurted out. Jax started waving his hands frantically.

"Easy Tig. Take a look at your finances. You boys have been strapped for cash since you lost your warehouse. The people we do business with wouldn't be affected by a set back like that." Star knew naming Tig would alarm the rest, especially identifying him by voice alone. She knew them all, from several charters. Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and parts of Idaho and Nevada were her stomping grounds and she made it her business to know everything that went on underground.

"You know us all?" Happy asked.

"Awww, do you not feel special anymore?"

"How do you know us?" Clay asked, leaning towards the phone.

"How I will not disclose, but if you'd like a demonstration of how much, I can give you just about anything. Your birthdays, your home addresses, full names, priors, who holds what office. I know that Tig likes snickers, and Bobby likes organic bakery. I know what you take for your arthritis Clay, strong shit. I know how half sack got his name, I know where Tara went to medical school, and I know where Gemma gets her hair done. Hell, I know the last song Chibs daughter downloaded to her iPod. Now, tell me Juice could find information like that. Hell, you boys don't even know my real name."

"I saved your life; you could be a little more grateful." Happy snapped back, he was sick of these games.

"You saved me from a very boring lecture by my superiors and dragging a babysitter on my next few missions. But don't think I'm not grateful. When I get something that I think will help you, I'll be sure to pass it along."

"And which of us gets to decide what's useful?" Jax finally spoke up.

"I do. Now you have about 2 minutes left. Anything else you think we should try to cover?"

The men sat in silence, Juice finally spoke up locking eyes with Clay for permission. "How'd you post that flier in the library without any of us seeing you?" It seemed like a stupid question but it had been bugging Juice severely.

Star laughed. "I didn't."

"You didn't go in yourself or you didn't go in without us seeing you?" Tig asked.

"I posted that flier 2 weeks ago." With that the phone beeped 3 times and clicked off.

"What the fuck?" Happy said, why would she post her number before he saved her, before the hit, she had sounded like she relented when she told him, and why would she tell him to wait so fucking long before retrieving it? Fuck. So she could get as far away as fucking possible. California to Maine. As far as she could fucking get without leaving the god damn county. That fucking bitch.

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You already got a chapter 8 preview, but lets say it also involves saltines and ginger ale.


	8. the eighth time

_Thank you for all the reviews and alerts, I'm so happy everyone is enjoying this story as much as I am!_

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Disclaimer: do not own, not for profit

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The 8th time…

Happy made his way silently into the safe house. The feds had all been taken care of, not dead, he didn't want that kind of heat on him or his club, but definitely incapacitated. He slunk through the house, dark room after dark room, expecting his mark to be in bed asleep. He swung the bedroom door open slowly, praying it wouldn't creek.

"Fuck!" he let out as half yell half growl. His witness, a 22 year old man who apparently hadn't been as drunk as Tacoma thought when they dragged his friend out of the bar to execute him was sitting on the floor, propped up against the bed, cold and pasty. Wrist slit, blood just barely seeping out the mostly coagulated wound. Happy checked for a pulse through his gloved hand just to be sure. He made his way back out of the house, down two streets to his bike and froze.

A leggy blond was perched on his bike, straddling it backwards; smirking at him.

"You!" He took a few more steps forward; they were still about a car length apart. "You!"

She sat up straighter and crossed her arms across her chest, carefully tilting in her head in anticipation.

"You fucking bitch!"

"And you, big guy, funny, I didn't hear any shots…. You must have a damn good silencer…." She got off the bike with a touch more flourish then necessary and took a few steps forward, staying just out of arms reach. "Been a while. What are you at now? 8 or 9?"

"He was number 9." Happy glared at her.

"Correction, he was number 42." Her smirk turned into a wide ass grin as Happy's blank expression melted into a look of shock and horror. "Nice work with the Feds by the way, they're gonna be so pissed when they find out it was a suicide. I mean a conk on the head, tied up, and no one to charge with murder…"

"What the fuck was your interest in him?" Happy demanded closing the distance between them.

"Absolutely none, I'm not actually here, won't even get paid for that shit. I just wanted to piss you off."

His eyes flared and before he could think of the consequences of his actions his hand was wrapped tightly around her neck, and he had lifted her a good 6 inches off the ground.

"It worked. I'm pissed." He tightened his grip but she didn't fight back, didn't pull away, didn't try to grab at his hand or flail her legs, she didn't even whimper, or wince at the pressure. Instead she stared; with the advantage of being lifted off her own feet she stared directly into his eyes, no fear, not even anger, just a dead blank stare, almost a dare to squeeze just that one iota tighter.

"What, you got nothing to say now bitch? No smart come backs? What's to stop me from snapping your pretty little neck, right here and now?" Happy was getting sick and tired of this game they were playing. Jax and Clay had warned him to play nice if he saw her again 'organization as big as what she claims could do one hell of a favor for us' had been Clay's words. But here, on this dark street, his kill being ripped from him, he didn't give a fuck about favors.

They both heard sirens in the distance, growing louder. The Feds must have come to, or someone had gone by the house to check on things. Flashing lights appeared in both their peripheral visions, running now would look to suspicious, Happy set Star back on the ground, but didn't loosen his hold.

"Kiss me." She ground out with the little bit of air she was still able to get. Happy started to growl at the demand, but then realized her ploy and brought his lips close to devour her mouth. By the time the cop car pulled up alongside them Happy had let go of the grip on her neck and instead had one hand tightly on her ass, the other wound in her hair, her own arms gripping at the back of his neck and head, pulling him closer.

"HEY!" The officer in the passenger seat shouted out the window shinning a flash light at them.

Star tore herself away from the kiss, giving the officer a sheepish smile. "Officer, we um… were just..." she stumbled and giggled; like a teenager caught under the bleachers by the janitor.

"Clear the road." The officer said sternly, not needing an explanation as to the near fuck fest he had interrupted.

Happy wrapped a protective arm around Star. "We ain't doin' nothing wrong man." He made his voice lighter, knowing his low growl would otherwise give him away.

"Go do nothing wrong behind closed doors. Crime scene up ahead, road's closing." Star reached behind her and grabbed the helmet off Happy's bike.

"Yes officer." She giggled again and nipped at Happy's ear before clipping his helmet on her head. He eyed her and then dragged her over to his bike, if she wanted to ride off with him he certainly wouldn't turn her down.

They'd only gone a few miles before Happy took the first highway entrance ramp he saw, wanting to get this bitch back to the Tacoma clubhouse so he could finally get some information out of her.

"Pull off here." Star said loud enough for Happy to hear. He grunted and sped up. He suddenly felt the familiar nuzzle of a gun to his side. "Pull off here." She repeated calmly.

"Bitch you shoot me going 90 we both die." Happy gunned the throttle once again to prove his point; eating up as much road as he could.

Star seemed to concede, or at least gave the illusion of it. He felt her shift slightly, obviously sticking her gun back into her holster; where ever the hell she had it hidden as he hadn't felt the damn thing when he had her pressed against him in front of the cop. She settled against him once more and Happy ignored the odd feeling that came over him when she wrapped her arms tightly around him for safety; at least he did till a wave of nausea came over him. He fought through it, keeping his bike up for another few miles before he finally pulled off to the side of the road. Star leapt off the bike and he struggled with the kickstand till he was finally able to make it down the small hill at the side of the road and fall to his knees. He gagged and then heaved until finally everything he'd eaten and drank for days it felt like fought its way up his esophagus. Star stood back watching, amusement flickering across her face.

"What the fuck did you do to me bitch?"

"Come on Hap," she gave him a little spin. "Where'd you think I pulled that gun from?" She smirked and pulled out a small tube, the same diameter as a gun nuzzle. "Don't worry; it'll wear off in a couple of hours. Oh, yeah, you're not gonna want to drive till you're done puking…"

Happy tried to stand and fell back down to his knees. He was light headed and the nausea wasn't lifting. He couldn't imagine anything could possibly be left in his system. "Don't" He tried to stand again and made it only a step before falling. "You fucking owe me bitch!" He pushed himself back up to standing. "This what I fucking get for helping you?!"

"You're really not getting it Hap. We're not on the same side. Now, I need you to take a step back from the killing for a while. There's shit going down, shit you have no part in, and don't need to get involved in. So listen to me very carefully. Rouge River. You have a charter there. They need to get the fuck out. Not permanently. I have no beef with your club. But I can't have them stepping on my toes. If they do, they will go down. You got that?"

Happy glared up at her. "This how you repay me, tell me I gotta move a fucking charter?"

"I owe you a favor, not your club. This shit don't count. They get in my way they go down, send 'em out Hap, give 'em an alibi, and get them the fuck out."

Happy didn't have the kind of authority it would take to move a charter. Rogue River was small, but they still had business to conduct. "When? How long?"

"Friday by the latest. A week or so. They'll know when they can come back." She began to walk back up the hill, slipping whatever the fuck she had used to drug him back into her jeans pocket.

"Where the fuck you think you're going bitch?" He had to pause more than once to dry heave as he yelled and he knew he didn't sound nearly as scary as he wanted to.

"Got shit to do, and ah, I really don't like watching…that…" She waved her hand at him on his knees and jogged a few more feet up the hill. "Call a brother to come get you." She yelled over her shoulder and Happy simply grunted. He wasn't calling his brothers for this shit.

"Fucking hell" He screamed into the night when he heard his own God damn Dyna rev up and peel out. She took his fucking bike. His fucking bike! His Dyna, his pride and fucking joy!

* * *

Kozik eyed his brother, when he'd gotten the call in the middle of the night he had thought it was a confirmation of the kill, not his best friend and brother on the side of the highway poisoned with his bike stolen. He wanted badly to mock the man, but seeing the best assassin the club had sprawled out on the bathroom floor sick as a fucking dog made it hard to completely enjoy the moment.

"KOZ!" The prospect yelled down the hall. "Koz, Koz, oh shit!" the young man came to a screeching halt in the bathroom door way. "Umm…. Some guy is here with Hap's bike…" He pointed behind him for clarification.

Happy growled and tried to stand, Kozik knowing better then to tell him not to he grabbed his brother's arm and hauled him outside. "Bill?" Kozik asked seeing an old club friend; he supplied Tacoma Auto with most of its car parts and supplies.

"Kozik, good to see you man. Look, ah, I opened up my 2nd bay this morning and this Dyna was sitting in the middle of it with a note." He pulled the note out and handed it to him.

Kozik read the note quickly, it was typed and in an open envelope. 'Drop off at Tacoma Auto, care of Happy Lowman.' "Short and Sweet. Thanks Bill, we got it from here. Any damage? Break in, or such?"

"Not a thing, had no idea someone was in there till I found the bike. Alarm never went off neither." Kozik nodded and handed the note to Happy; nodding Bill away with another 'thanks'.

"Come on Hap, you should be in bed."

"Fuck you."

"Not till you're all better." Kozik teased and hauled him back into the club house.

He popped his head back into Hap's room an hour later. "How you feeling brother?"

Happy responded with a grunt. His nausea was finally gone but he still felt like shit. He was dying to know what the fuck he'd been dosed with.

"Had the prospect look your bike over. She didn't fuck with anything. If you want, I can have him ride it around just in case. Don't want it going haywire with you on it, that's what the twits are for, right?" Hap grunted again, finally opening his eyes. "Umm, got a question though. Your saddle bags…You emptied those before the job right, 'cause there wasn't much in them."

Happy finally looked up. "There should be nothing in them." He said certain he had removed every last thing that could be traced to him or the club in case he had been cut off from his bike after the job.

"Right… well," Kozik held up a bottle of ginger ale and a box of saltines "Like I said…there wasn't much." He tossed the items at Happy, now knowing for certain the girl had left them there for him to find and bit his lip to hide his grin.

"Fucken'… just fuck" He threw the items off the bed. "I fucking hate that bitch!"

* * *

_So, not one of my favorite chapters, it felt a little forced, I knew which scenes I wanted to happen but I had a little trouble in getting there. It'll be a few days before the next one is up; I want to explore my options before I commit to something._

_For those of you following my other story, The Reluctant Lion Heart I have the next chapter about 80% done, and it should be out sometime Friday._


	9. the ninth time

_Okay, i tok a few days off from this till i could get the next few chapters sorted out, enjoy._

_And thank you for all the reviews, they make my day :)_

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Disclaimer: Do not own, not for profit

* * *

The ninth time

Happy Kozik and Lorca made their way down to Charming. The President and VP of Rouge River were also meeting them there. Happy had revealed the basics over the phone, leaving the details for the face to face meet. Moving an entire Charter on the word of someone who at this point may or may not be a friend to the club was a big gamble. No one was sure what Star was really playing at, or if she could be trusted. All anyone knew was that she had ample opportunity to kill Happy and had never tried.

"I see this as 2 separate issues." Stone, the Rouge River president declared. "A: do we trust her B: what exactly is she playing at."

"No, it's all one. If we know her end game we know whether or not we can trust her." Clay corrected him.

"She has no end game. She does what she's told. She told me point blank these kills have no importance to her." Happy reminded them. "She gets a mark and she takes it out."

"She also told you she wasn't supposed to kill that witness, she did it anyway." Kozik threw in.

"To piss me off." Happy mumbled.

"To communicate with you." Jax defended the girl.

"And then leave my poisoned on the side of the road and took my bike." Happy fought to control his anger.

"She could have killed you Hap, and she returned the bike, in perfect condition." Tig reminded him.

"She needs to die." The men all rolled their eyes at Happy's statement.

"Can we get back to whether or not we're moving my Charter out?" Stone reminded the men about the real problem at hand.

"Moving out Rouge River would play right into her hands; I'm not playing her fucking games anymore." Happy sat back and crossed his arms trying to reign in his temper.

"Well apparently if we stay and get in the middle of her game we will either be eliminated or framed!" Dion Rouge River's VP threw back at Hap.

"Quiet down!" Clay bellowed over the arguing brothers. "She said it's not temporary right?" He directed the question at Happy who nodded. "There's a charity run heading out Thursday goes through Monday, a nice long 4 day weekend run. Pack your men up; your old lady's the kids, take 'em all. Get some news coverage; get your asses on the 6:00 news somewhere. Tuesday come back, open up business as usual."

"She said we'd know when to let them back." Happy reminded him.

"I don't care, it's called a compromise. 4 days free and clear. Agreed?" The men all aye'd and Clay banged the gavel. "Now for our next order of business, everything else regarding Star."

"I'm killing her next time I see her." Happy wouldn't be moved on this.

"Not if you're puking your guts out brother." Kozik tried to stifle his laugh.

"Okay, that, I'm thinking germ warfare. CIA." Juice spoke up for the first time.

"She's not CIA" half the table threw back at him.

"How else do you fucking explain all that shit? 'oh, my sweepers will be in as soon as my car starts' or 'I know what song Chibs kid just bought on iTunes' or my personal favorite, GERM WARFARE" Juice yelled in Happy's direction.

"CIA agents don't kill federal witnesses to piss off other killers." Jax spoke deliberately slowly to Juice.

"They also don't kill loan sharks and drug dealers." Bobby said to no one in particular.

"Actually" everyone groaned as Juice went on. "What? Oh come on, think about it. What better way to control the underworld then by killing off the powerful players. People the government knows is dirty but that no one can get behind bars. Cut the head off and the body dies…"

"You watch way too many movies Juice." Kozik shook his head.

"If Juice-y boy is wrong, and I am very certain that he is, does anyone else have any ideas on who is pulling the strings?" Chibs put to the group.

"The organization" Bobby said in a spooky voice.

The men all looked around. No one had any ideas.

"So…CIA?" Juice nodded his head at his brothers.

"Oh for crying out loud!" Clay groaned and banged the gavel. "Get the hell out, all of you!" The men slowly got up and Clay sat down, resting his head in his hands. He had a fucking headache.

* * *

SAMCRO sat in the main bar watching the news, a warehouse had inexplicitly exploded late Friday night, revealing an almost professionally set up meth lab. More importantly the warehouse had been owned by Schultz; republican nominee for Governor.

"This has to be it." Tig murmured to Chibs, each table had its own conversations going as everyone speculated. News crews were camped out in the politician's front yard; reporters were ripping apart his campaign contributions. Everyone wanted to know if he was behind it.

The men all listened closely as Schultz PR team released a statement that Mr. Schultz had over 50 private and commercial property holdings and has no way of knowing which are currently being leased let alone what those separate organizations and doing on his property. Furthermore he cannot be held legally or personally responsible for their actions.

The public seemed to buy it, at least until Saturday night when another explosion occurred only 8 miles from the first. Another meth lab; on a property owned by Schultz. The men stayed glued to the news. Many were still awake from the night before when late breaking news announced Mr. Schultz and hung himself in his office.

This sent a whole new wave of gossip through the club house. Had Star set off the explosions to force the politician's hand? Had she framed him from the very beginning or was she exposing the truth? Did she do it to drive him out of the running? Drive him to kill himself? Had she in fact killed him? Was the entire thing a set up to cover up a murder?

Everyone seemed to be looking to Happy for answers. He however had none. The only thing he knew for sure was that Star was responsible for the explosions, and she had killed Schultz. Whether the meth labs were a set up or not no one could be sure of at this point.

* * *

Rogue River made a detour through Charming on their way back home, picking up Clay Jax Happy and Kozik to escort them. They made their way back through town, SUVs and vans detouring along the way to go home and unpack. By the time they reached the clubhouse it was only the patched members. There was a loan car in the parking lot as the bikes pulled in and lined up. Happy studied it closely before nodding his head toward the club house.

Stone Dion Clay Jax and Kozik all followed him, Stone directing the rest of his men to stay put. They entered the dark clubhouse to a lone female figure parched on the edge of the pool table. Dion turned the lights on and everyone in the room heard Happy growl.

"I'll give you boys credit for one thing; you're very good at following direction." Star smirked and answered Happy's growl.

"You wanna tell me-" Stone took a step forward but Clay and Jax both put an arm out to stop him.

Happy stepped forward and Star hopped off the table. "Come on Hap, call me a bitch, I know you you're dying too." She crossed her arms and smirked

Happy stepped up close to her and whispered. "Next time I get you alone, you won't live long enough to smirk.

"Next time I get you alone, I'm gonna hand cuff you to a bed and listen to you beg." She answered him. He studied her face and took a step back as Clay cleared his throat.

"Playing nice you two?" He teased from across the room. Both killers flicked their eyes to him and then back to each other.

"No hard feelings Hap, here." She tossed him the tube that she had used to drug him. "FYI, I'm immune. I doubt you have access to a lab to study it, but there's 3 more doses in there."

She walked towards the larger group of men, stopping as Happy yelled back at her, "This my fucking favor?!"

She turned slowly well aware she was turning her back on 4 most likely armed men. "Your favor is already in place. I think you'll quite enjoy it. Whenever you figure it out anyway." She turned back and nodded her head to Happy's brothers before walking out of the club house. She was greeted by another 8 brothers standing in the parking lot that continued to look from her to the club house door waiting for the order to stop her, but none came. No one was willing to come close to her.

* * *

_No, that was not a cop out, I know what the favor is and it will be revealed in chapter 11 which is planned out but not yet typed. But in the mean time I would LOVE to hear what you think the favor is or want it to be! Let me know if you want to be told if you're right._


	10. The tenth time

_Only 1 review for my last chapter :( Yeah, I didn't think it was my best work either, but something tells me a few of you will have something to say about this next one. I'd still like to hear your ideas about the favor Star has already done for Happy._

_Lady Ramona, sadly you are not correct, but thank you for your input. Since Happy's smiley faces are for club ordered kills even if Star gave him some jobs they wouldn't end as smiley faces._

_Any other ideas?_

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Disclaimer: Do not own, not for profit

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The tenth time…

Happy sat in one of the many bars of the Luxor hotel and casino in Vegas. He had his sites on Vinney D. an enforcer who had crossed a line as far as the Vegas Charter was concerned. Vegas being Vegas most of their sweet butts were also professional strippers or prostitutes and a few of them had been plucked by force out of their regular places of business by Vinney D. The Vegas Charter was not okay with that, and therefore neither was Happy.

Nobody had been able to get a read on where Vinney lived or operated from, Happy had been trailing him for 3 days now and had seen him sleep in 3 different beds, with 3 different women. Hard to get a jump on a guy who was always moving, especially when his 4 man entourage always moved with him.

Happy's attention was dragged from his mark to the waitress when she sent a drink down he didn't order. "From the girl in the corner." She informed at his raised eye brow and Happy glanced over, Star. She held up her own drink to toast and he slid the offered scotch across the table. There was no way in hell he was letting her drug him again.

Happy had been waiting for Star to show up. He had succeeded in earning his 9th and 10th smiley faces and spent both of those kills looking over his shoulder paranoid as fuck that she would take them away from him. In the course of those kills he had prepared himself for her arrival. He was going to kill her. Slowly. She smirked and sipped her drink, turning back to stare down Vinney D. Of course she was going after his mark. Of all the dirty mobsters in Vegas he wouldn't have assumed any differently.

It takes him and hour and 2 more drinks before he finds himself at her table offering her a drink of her own.

"Who knew you could be such a gentleman?" She smirks and accepts the liquor, throwing it back as he does his own. This bitch is either too trusting or too cocky.

"I have a room upstairs" Star leaned over the table to whisper in his ear. They'd each had another 4 shots and he could tell her light stature would be her downfall, there was no way she could hold her liquor like he could. He licked his lips and helped her up, taking her room card in the elevator to find her room as she began to get dizzy. Happy crashed them into the room toward the bed, throwing her down on it.

He wanted to savor this kill, it had been a long time coming. He looked down at her. She was wearing a dark blue cocktail dress that had ridden up significantly in their escapades to the room. He couldn't help but leer for a moment. He wasn't the type of guy that got off on taking advantage of women and he felt a sudden pang that he was going to kill this bitch before he got the chance to fuck her.

"You remember what I promised you?" Star slurred, pushing herself back up from the bed capturing Happy's mouth with her own. She was taking a hell of a long time to pass out; maybe he would get his chance after all.

"You promised to make me beg." He whispered before attacking her mouth again. Her hands found their way up his shirt and he broke away to allow his shirt to be ripped over his head. He pulled off his own jeans and boots as she shimmied out of her dress. "Oh fuck" he grabbed her and hauled her back down to the bed.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew this was a bad idea. They were both drunk, she should be passing out any second now, he had a mark downstairs to eliminate, and he was well aware that she could probably kill him with her pinky if she choose.

Or hand cuff him to a bed.

"What the fuck bitch?" He yanked at the metal cuffs around his wrists, how had he missed that?

"That wasn't begging." She whispered into his ear before getting up and off the bed, clearly sober.

"This isn't funny Star!" He yanked hard on the cuffs.

"Look, I got a job to do, and I really need you to stay out of my way. It'll just be a couple of hours, and then I'll come back and we can finish this night the way we both wanted. I'll even let you ink the kill on me." She smirked and shimmed back into her dress, fixing her hair.

"These cuffs aren't gonna hold me bitch." He yanked again; the wooden headboard spokes would soon give way and then it was simply a matter of finding something to pick the lock with.

"No, but they will certainly slow you down." She slipped into her shoes and took a few careful steps to the bed. "So will not having these." She grabbed his jeans and slung them over her shoulder.

"Bitch-"

"Gotta say Hap, it's good to have you playing the game. I was starting to think you didn't know the rules." She opened the door and walked out, slamming it behind her.

"You fucking bitch! I'm gonna kill you for this Star!" He continued to rant and scream at the door till he broke the head board.

* * *

His first move once picking the lock was calling Rango the Vegas Sargent at Arms who was his back up behind the club. He was pacing the room like a caged animal when the man finally knocked on the door and he wiped it open.

"Not one fucking word!" Happy screamed and grabbed the pants the man was holding. "What the fuck are these?" He looked down at the while linen pants.

"Snagged them from the pool deck." He shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the wall watching Happy pull on the horrifically non biker attire. "Prospect is bringing you your own shit if you want to wait.

"Can't wait, she's not taking this from me."

"She already did brother." Happy paused his angry movements. "Vinney D. got hit by a car out front. Driver took off, he's dead."

* * *

_OMG! I have no cable, I am currently downloading last night's SOA episode on ITunes but I don't have time to watch it before work. It's gonna be a looooone day of waiting!_

_Better than the last chapter? Next up is the favor, last chance to give me your thoughts on it!_


	11. the eleventh time

_I feel like this chapter is a little short, but it is kinda of filler, it it the payoff for the favor and then setting up the next chapter, which will probably be the longest to date._

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Dislciamer: do not own, not for profit

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The eleventh time

"I'm telling you that is Happy Lowman and he is under arrest for the kidnapping of Roger Evans." The fed screamed once more.

"And I'm telling you that is Corporal James O'Conner USAF and he has no criminal record what so ever!" The small town sheriff shook the file folder in the feds face.

Okay, so she was good; was all Happy could think as he listened to the argument through the interrogation room door. This was Star. Not a doubt in his mind.

"Look at the sketch! Look at the tattoos! That is Happy Lowman!"

"Look at the finger prints! 100% match!"

"It's a computer fluke for Christ's sake! When the DNA match comes through I will have your badge for this!" The fed threatened the small town sheriff where Happy had been picked up.

"You need a warrant for a DNA test." Happy's ears perked up. He was reasonably sure he recognized that voice as Tacoma's lawyer on retainer Danner.

"I'll get a God Damn warrant."

"Without reasonable cause?"

"I have reasonable cause."

"You have the alleged victims sister saying that a bald heavily tattooed biker referred to as 'Hap' threatened Mr. Evans 2 weeks prior to his supposed disappearance. You have no proof Happy Lowman is this same 'Hap' furthermore you have no proof 'Hap' was the one responsible for the kidnapping. And you especially have no proof that Corporal O'Conner is associated with 'Hap' or Happy Lowman or the SOA." Fuck Happy loved that lawyer.

"You have got to be shitting me!" Happy could tell the fed was walking away from the door as she yelled.

"Corporal O'Connor." Danner greeted Happy before closing the door. "Alright, I don't want to know how the hell you managed to change your fingerprints on the federal database system, but I need to know what that DNA test is going to prove."

"I have no idea." Was all Happy could offer in return.

Apparently the tattoos in the sketch matching his own was enough for a judge woken in the middle of the night to sign a warrant for a DNA test. Happy was kept handcuffed to the table in the interrogation room as the results were quickly processed.

"I don't know how the fuck you managed this Mr. Lowman but I will put you away for this." The fed leaned over the table glaring at Happy.

"Corporal O'Conner." Happy clarified as he was released from the handcuffs. "I bet I could sue you for this." He taunted the fed while rubbing his sore wrists. He left the station quickly and took a look around for Star but only saw a few of his brothers and his Dyna waiting. He couldn't imagine Star or her special organization wasn't alerted to Corporal O'Conner being held for nearly 48 hours.

* * *

"So wait, you're saying this chick changed your fingerprints and DNA?" Lee asked once back in church with the rest of Tacoma.

"Not his personally Pres, just in the system, she switched the results so he came up clean." Tacoma's own tech expert Donut answered for Happy.

"So you can't ever be arrested again?" Lorca presumed out loud.

"No, he can. She basically wiped the slate clean. If he leaves fingerprints or DNA behind now, or gets caught red handed he'll go to jail as O'Conner, who has an impeccable service record and no rap sheet what so ever."

"Not a moment too soon. I've got 2 strikes against me. One more and I'm in for life."

"And if you do go in it will be O'Conner's first offense." Lee nodded his head smiling as he saw the beauty in this favor.

"How do you think she did it?" Kozik finally spoke up, leaning back in his chair.

"No idea and I don't care. Got more important things to deal with."

"Evans and his snitching sister." Kozik already knew where his brothers' mind was going.

"Evans was brought home last night after emptying his safety deposit box. Long as he doesn't corroborate his sister's story there's no charge." Kozik assured the men; ironically Happy had no part in the kidnapping he was being charged with. Kozik as the Sgt. at Arms had been given that job after Happy's threats didn't produce the cash they were waiting for.

"You think he'd turn us in?" Lorca asked Koz.

"He's got no proof. We didn't rough him up or nothing. He went off the grid for a few days and came home. As far as anyone is concerned he went on a 3 day bender." Kozik shrugged.

"You know I got you covered better than that brother. I snagged his credit card info. Evans charged 2 nights to a seedy motel in Dayton and blew $500 on an escort service." Donut grinned at his brothers around the table.

"Shit Donut." Lorca slapped the man on the back as the table laughed and Church was dismissed.

* * *

"There is no fucking way you knew I'd come here." Happy said in a low voice as Star walked up behind him. It had been 3 days since O'Conner got arrested.

"I find man to be a highly predictable species." She stood behind him and just to his left at the bar at the Jelly Bean near Charming.

"Looked for you outside the police station." He didn't bother turning around. He was well on his way to wasted and the strip club was full enough that he knew she wouldn't hurt him here.

"Was in the middle of something. Would have loved to see your face though." She tossed a thick manila envelope on the bar next to him. "ID, passport, birth certificate, social, high school diploma, certified mechanic certificate, mother's maiden name, military background, hell, even your SAT scores. Stay out of trouble James. Shit like this isn't easy to procure."

"Gotta hand it to you babe, you sure know how to pay a man back." He tucked the envelope into his cut and turned. His eyes narrowing instantly. Star was pale and not carrying herself with the same infuriating self-confidence she always did. She wasn't even smirking.

"We're even and done." She turned to leave and he got off the stool and grabbed her arm she flinched and hissed and he let go, blocking her exit instead. He looked her over. She was in jeans and a trench coat, silk scarf around her neck, hair down, sunglasses on even in this dim bar.

"What exactly were you in the middle of?" She smiled and lowered her sunglasses revealing a badly blackened eye.

"We don't all have brothers to lean on when shit goes south." She stepped closer and put a gloved hand on his chest. "Good bye Happy." She patted him once and then squeezed around him and slipped through the door.

* * *

_NO THIS IS NOT THE END! No freaking out!_

_Next Chapter: Happy runs into Star yet again. Is she broken or playing a part?_

_I'm now on twitter, kiara8921 follow me to find out when I'll be posting or ask me questions._


	12. The twelfth time

_Been looking for, 'you know you're an SOA fanfic writer when' kinda list and haven't found one, so…_

_You know you're an SOA fanfic writer when Jax, Tig and Kozik are now in your spellchecks dictionary._

_Slow update, I know…on the plus side, longest chapter yet!_

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Disclaimer: do not own, not for profit

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The 12th time

Coming to chained to a column with a black bag tied over his head was not how this plan was supposed to go. He heard a groan he assumed was Juice and then a quiet curse that he knew was Jax.

"Hap? Juice?"

"Here" Hap answered bluntly.

"What the fuck happened?" Juice responded.

"I got knocked out. From behind. You guys?" Jax showed concerned for his brothers.

"Yeah, chained and hood over my head." Happy shared, hoping one of his brothers would have a bit more freedom.

"Ditto." Juice threw in.

"Yeah, me too. Anyone got more detail than that, see who hit 'em?"

"No."

"No."

"SHUT UP!" The 3 men went instantly silent at the male voice that yelled at them. Happy was trying to figure out where it was coming from, and therefore where they were in the structure. The 3 waited for more instruction but none was given. There were no footsteps however, so the man was still in the room.

"Baby" a female whispered. "Maybe we should find out why they're here." Happy again listened closely; they were next to each other, in front of and slightly to the right of him. Maybe 15 feet away. He didn't know the man's voice, and the female's was too quiet for him to discern.

Jax spoke up. "We were looking for some stolen property, got a tip it might be stored here. We want no trouble with you." Jax Juice and Hap had broken into this warehouse to look for stolen guns. "Look man, we didn't see anything, we don't know who you are, we don't want trouble. Our guns aren't here, you can just let us go, we won't come back, we sure as hell won't call the cops." Fucking genius Jax, bring the cops into this Happy thought to himself.

"Sure as hell won't call the cops if you're dead." The man took a few steps forward.

"Baby, we don't have time for this. Just leave them here. We can deal with them later." The woman stepped up as well. The 3 men heard a loud slap and the woman stumbled back. There was a rush of scuffles and then foot steps leading away. So long for the cool headed woman being in charge.

"How long till someone comes looking for us?" Juice whispered.

"They'd come after an hour or 2, don't know how long we were out though." Jax answered him honestly.

"They didn't kill us, that's a good sign. They're probably new at whatever they're doing, or low man on the totem pole. They don't have the authority to kill us." Happy thought out loud.

"We don't know that for sure." Jax dismissed him.

* * *

"Where the fuck do you get off giving me orders." Brutus slammed Star against the wall as soon as the office door closed.

"We can't afford dead bodies' baby, not with Anthony coming." She winced as her already bruised shoulder blade came in contact with the wall.

"Anthony ain't your concern. I'll take care of him."

"And if he finds out you have an MC snooping around he might cancel. You can't let him cancel."

"All the more reason to kill the pieces of shit now."

"Brutus! You kill those men you'll have 3 Charters banging at the doors. Just let them go, you heard what they said, we don't have their shit, they won't come back here."

"Baby, baby, you're so naive." He held her face firmly in his hands and kissed her hard, plunging his tongue into her mouth ignoring the blood seeping from her lip. "Trust me; I know what I'm doing." He said as he pulled up her shirt. Fuck was all Star could think. Happy was screwing around with her work again. Fuck.

* * *

"We need a plan here." Jax started up again.

"I got nothing." Juice sounded scared; Happy shook his head.

"Nothing we can do Bro. No freedom, no sight, no escape. Best we can do is talk our way out. And that's on you VP." Happy knew when he'd been bested. He ever got out of these chains he'd slaughter whoever was responsible, but he knew their captors could walk back right now and put a bullet in all their heads and they wouldn't have a chance of stopping it.

"We need to play them against each other. You heard that slap. We offer to help that girl she might let us go." Jax accepted his brother's nomination. He was technically in charge anyway.

"Think you can charm her with a bag over your head? Missing your best assets ain't ya?" Juice chuckled at his own dig.

* * *

Juice had been right, when it came time for Jax to actually try and talk them out it failed, miserably. First he started with the woman.

"You help us, we'll help you." He whispered as his hood was lifted only to his nose so water could be poured into his mouth. He had gotten no reply and the hood was shoved back down roughly. He listened quietly as she made the rounds around the column to his brothers. Juice thanking her, Happy ignoring her and her offer of water. Stubborn bastard.

When the man came back out he tried a different tactic. "Obviously you have some business to take care of, and we're just complicating things. We have a van out back, throw us in, cuffed and hooded, drive the van down to the road, we have friends waiting, they'll pick us up, and we'll leave. If you keep us here, they're gonna come in looking for us, and that's just gonna complicate things more.

That got him a pistol whip to the left temple.

"You should listen to him baby. I know their kind, they don't leave people behind."

"And how exactly do you know their kind?" He dragged her away and whispered harshly.

"Got tangled up with them for a while, had to run for my life, baby, you remember." She licked her lips and hoped to God he did remember the bull shit story she had fed him. She had wormed her way into his life, the only known associate to Terasi that still had contact with him. She fed him a bull shit story of her past, outlaw boyfriend and his friends that she was running from. Men like Brutus liked to feel powerful and what better way than to make him think she needed his protection.

"You know any of them?" He asked, pulling her hair so her head would go back and kissed her, biting her lip.

"Don't know, didn't see their faces." She of course knew who all 3 of them were, Hap would recognize her, Jax probably would, Juice, well, only if she had been described well.

Brutus shoved Star back a few feet and walked up to Jax ripping his hood off. "You know this one?" He shoved the gun against Jax's neck. Jax looked at Star, his breath caught.

"No. Not the same club. But they all operate the same. Baby, just let them go, we have bigger shit to deal with."

"Bitch is right." Jax said, nodding slowly at Star hoping to fuck Happy caught on to who the hell was in the room. "You let us go, we'd owe you a big favor, and we've got friends in lots of high places, crews, families, organizations. Maybe we could work together." Happy's eyes narrowed under his hood. Jax was talking out his ass; he wasn't making any fucking sense.

"You really think I'm gonna fall for that line of crap?" Brutus shoved the gun further into Jax's neck.

"Maybe he's not the one you should be listening too. Big guy over there hasn't said much, maybe Blondie's just a distraction." Big guy, organization, bitch. FUCK. Everything finally clicked into place, Star finally getting close enough, speaking loud enough for him to discern her voice.

"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm getting played?" Brutus walked back to Star and grabbed her roughly. Brutus wasn't dumb; he was the trusted associate of a top mob king. Star cursed herself for underestimating him.

Happy listened on fascinated. He hadn't seen Star in several months, and never imagined her like this. She sounded, scared. Weak even. "Brutus, please." She looked him in the eye, cringing as he gripped her wrist tighter.

"You need to get on bored baby. Starting to think you're playing on a different side. These men are dying." He whispered back just a bit too quietly for Happy to hear.

"Okay" she nodded her head furiously "okay I will." He let go of her and stomped back to the still tied up men. Star clutched her wrist tightly to her chest and watched Brutus pull out his gun once more.

The gun shot rang out loud in the empty warehouse and Jax flinched, cursing loudly, Juice wailed, his head still covered.

"Jesus, Jesus fucking Christ! Fuck oh my god, Hap?" Jax went from grieving for his friend to shock as Brutus fell to his knees and then his side, the back of his head oozing blood.

"What the fuck?!" Happy asked pulling at his chains.

The hood was pulled off first revealing, finally, Star. "You know how fucking close I was to letting him kill you?" She tugged roughly at the chains holding him down, deliberately forcing his shoulder into a painful position so she could unlock him, and thus the rest of the men.

When Happy finally looked at her his breath caught in his throat. She had a bruise on her temple and her lip looked to be still seeping blood. "Didn't think you were the type of girl to let a man beat on her." He said, taking her by her upper arm and standing with her as she undid his cuffs.

He yanked the chain around the column, freeing his brothers from it, although they were both still handcuffed behind their backs. He tossed the key to Jax who was just standing and turned back to Star.

"The type of girl that…are you fucking kidding me?" She pushed him back and he stumbled over the still hooded Juice who had no idea what was going on. "I have spent 5 god damn months trying to flush his boss out of hiding yeah, he beat the shit out of me, and he fucked me every god damn chance he got too. And now, he's dead, and Anthony Terasi is on his way here. So why don't you kindly thank me for saving your life TWICE in one day and help me hide the fucking body!"

"Anthony Terasi?" Jax asked, pausing his movements trying to unlock his own cuffs with the keys Happy tossed him. "Fucking Christ. We got to get the fuck out of here."

"Yeah, you do!"

Jax succeeded in getting his cuffs off and uncuffed Juice who finally once free ripped the hood from his head.

"You need to stop fucking telling us what to do." Happy took a quick stride forward.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Star yelled sick of playing games when she was meant to be working and pulled her gun back out, pointing it at Happy.

"Easy, we're good here." Jax put his arms up stepping in front of Star.

"Get your men and leave. Now." Was all Star said before tucking her gun in the back of her pants and grabbing Brutus under the arm pits to drag him into an office.

"Hap, just, take a walk." Jax grabbed the dead man's feet and helped while shouting orders to Juice. "Juice, toss the chains and clean up the blood, we roll out in 5!" He nodded to Star and continued into the office. "What you gonna do with him?"

"Got a crew for that shit. Just got to get Anthony inside without suspecting anything." They heaved him against the side wall and Star closed what was left of the blinds.

"Can we help with anything else?"

"Just leave." Jax nodded his head and exited the office. Hap was on the prepay he grabbed along with the rest of his weapons he found in a pile on a table. Jax could tell he was debriefing Clay on what happened while Juice erased the evidence.

"We need to go. Terasi will be here any minute." Jax Jogged up to Hap.

"Just hold on one fucking minute." Hap flipped the phone closed and walked up to Star "I want to know what the fuck is going on, and I want to know where our fucking guns are."

Star pulled her gun but she simply checked the clip and cocked it, removing the safety.

"Caso stole your guns. He sold them to Brutus. Brutus traded them to the Colatus family for transporting Terasi over the border. Your guns are in a semi at rest stop 234 on route 71 the keys were supposed to be handed over along with Anthony tomorrow morning." Star pulled keys out of her pocket. "Leave, get your shit back, and leave me to finish my business."

"No." Hap said as Jax grabbed the keys.

"No?" Jax questioned.

"Anthony Terasi is worth a lot of money. Money we need. You're out numbered little girl. We will deliver Terasi to your organization." Hap folded his arms daring her to argue and actually smiled, all the times he had been bested, and finally he was gonna win.

Star stood there simply staring at him, "fine." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Really?" Jax asked stepping forward.

"SHIT!" Happy's scream escaped as the gun shot still echoed in the warehouse. "FUCK you fucking bitch you fucking shot me!"

"Get him out of here, or I will kill you all." Jax looked at Happy who was clutching at his left elbow. The bullet looked like it had gone right through.

Juice came running over with his gear, gun drawn and handed Jax his.

"Don't be stupid Juice." Star warned and Jax nodded his head as Juice slipped his gun into his jeans, Jax doing the same.

"You're making a mistake. We could help you. You saved us, we owe you." Jax tried to take control back.

"LEAVE." Happy went to charge her but Jax grabbed him.

"Leaving. Leaving. Just….thank you." Juice grabbed Happy as well and the two steered their brother out of the warehouse.

"You're welcome." Star murmured to herself, she should have killed them. Why the fuck didn't she just kill them?

* * *

_Not gonna lie, losing my drive for this story. I only have one more chapter planned right now, although unless I kill someone off there really is no end to the possibilities, but alas, don't expect many updates for a while. I want to concentrate on The Reluctant Lion Heart 'cause I have it all planned out, and then start on some of the stories that have been itching to get out of my head._

_Wanna know when I get an inspiration to come back? Follow me on Twitter! kiara8921 that sounded subtle, right?_


	13. The thirteenth time

_Wow, I haven't worked on this story in forever. Got inspired by a new comment this morning and decided to get back to it. No regular updates though. Hard at work on Heart of the Lioness. But this has always been a fun side project, shorter chapters and less continuity so I may find myself coming back soon for a bit of a break._

_Follow me on twitter for my writing updates: kiara8921_

_Since it's been a while I recommend rereading the previous chapter (it's not long) but if you don't feel like it, here's a short recap: Jax Juice and Hap are captured searching a warehouse for stolen guns. They find out Star is among the captors and she jeopardizes her mission to kill her partner when she can't talk him out of executing the captives. She lets the boys go but ends up shooting Hap when he continues to interfere_.

* * *

Disclaimer: do not own, not for profit

* * *

The thirteenth time.

"How's he doing doc?" Clay came over and rested a hand on her shoulder while she sewed up Happy's wounds. Said man was out cold on the pool table.

"Great now." She smirked and Chibs chuckled. The man had been so angry when he got back to the club house Tara has given him a sedative instead of morphine before she set to work on his elbow.

"It gonna be a problem?" Clay eyed his killer and his damaged joint.

"No, went clean through, no bone or muscle damage. Lucky shot." Tara mumbled as she continued with the needle and thread.

"No luck about it." Juice chimed in from a table.

Clay grunted and headed back to Jax. "She gonna be a problem?"

"No, Hap stepped out of bounds. She shot him to get rid of him. She saved our lives, twice, even when it compromised her mission. I hate to say it, but we owe her big." Jax wiped a hand over his face. "They get the truck?"

"Yeah, Tig and Bobby are on it. Prospect is going out with Piney in the van, don't want to risk bringing the truck here."

Jax nodded his head and ran a hand over his face again pulling on his beard.

"You okay son?" Clay asked.

"Been in a lot of bad situations, never been that helpless." Jax shook his head. "If anyone else had caught us we'd be dead."

"No one else did. Hap's girl did." Clay clapped him on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Hap's girl? Jesus don't you dare let him here you call him that." Jax got up from his bar stool and walked past the pool table kissing Tara on the head on his way to the dorms.

"Done." Tara announced a few minutes later. "How mad is he gonna be at me?" She asked Chibs quietly.

Chibs looked down at Happy then smirked. "He won't be mad, but if he asks, I told you to drug him." Chibs patted her shoulder and walked away, content in leaving Happy on the pool table to sleep off the sedative.

"We doing Church?" Chibs asked Clay quietly.

"Yeah, once everyone, and our guns, are back."

* * *

Happy sat in church gnawing on a toothpick, his fingers of his right hand drumming the table nonstop, his left arm in a sling.

"Guns are dropped off, only a few hours late. Told 'em we had to take a detour to avoid a DUI checkpoint, no problems." Tig assured the table.

Happy drummed his fingers louder.

"Juice?" Clay prompted.

"Huh? Oh umm, nothing." Juice shook his head not understanding Clay's request.

"Juice…" Clay prompted.

"What?"

"Your take on what happened? You found the address, how did that lead to you being kidnapped?"

"Oh! The guy I talked to worked for Caso, the guy who sold the guns to Brutus. Apparently the drop off was at the warehouse, guy had no idea what they were for or that they'd be taken somewhere else."

"Any word on Terasi's fate?" Bobby asked.

"Nothing in the chat rooms, not yet anyway. Star seemed like she was in a hurry to get rid of us, but I mean, we have no idea when he was actually expected."

"Tomorrow morning." Jax reminded Juice. "The guns were payment for transporting him; we may have screwed that up by taking them back." Jax turned back to Clay.

"If that were the case she wouldn't have told you were they were. Would have sent you on your merry way empty handed." Bobby presumed with a shrug.

"She said she was handing over the key when she got Terasi. She could give them any key, any truck stop and get out before shit hit the fan." Juice shrugged as well.

"Colatus are a bad group of people, if they think they got screwed they could go after her with a vengeance." Jax warned. "Which may lead to her coming after us."

"Brutus was in charge of that arrangement. She was using him." Juice shook his head. "They'll go after him. And he's… you know…dead."

"But she'll be the one at the meet, because he's dead." Jax shot back.

"Do we really care about her fate?" Tig joined in the 2-way conversation.

"It's our fault." Jax told him.

"She stole our guns!"

"First of all, she bought stolen guns; she may not have known they were ours. And secondly, we still can't be sure how much of that was her doing. That guy was slapping her around, putting her in her place. I can't say she had a huge part in planning this thing. She was using him to get to Terasi." Jax answered Tig calmly.

"She shot Hap." Tig snapped back. Happy stopped drumming his fingers. "She knocked you out cold chained you up and put bags over your heads."

"And she could have stood there and let Brutus kill us. He was going to execute us before he even took the hoods off, we would have never known she was there. She was trying to talk him out of it and when that didn't work she killed him and jeopardized her own mission."

"Then she SHOT HAP!" Tig yelled back over the table. "Hap, come on! Say something man, she SHOT you!"

"Bitch is dead. She kidnapped brothers of this club. She's dead." Hap spoke calmly.

"The BITCH saved our lives and gave us our guns back. She shot you because you decided to try and play her. And it's a fucking flesh wound!" Jax stood and leaned over the table.

"She shot a member of this club." Hap answered still eerily calm.

Jax sat back down and glared at Hap before turning to Clay. "We set Hap after her, she will kill him."

Clay nodded his head. "I understand you want vengeance Hap. But you going after her is a no go. She'll go after all of us. And IF you succeed in killing her we have no idea what the response would be from her organization. They could wipe out the charter. Maybe the whole club. At the very least I'm sure they could make life extremely difficult for us."

Clay slammed the gavel ending church. Hap stood up immediately and exited, followed closely by Tig.

"Bitch is dead." Hap mumbled.

"I'm with you brother." Tig clapped a hand on Hap's shoulder.


End file.
